You don't always have to win to be a winner

Whilst that the title totally sounds like something you mother tells you when you're ten, sometimes you don't have to win or make the podium to have won. Just as the journey is sometimes more important than the destination. (cough cough.. no really!!) You can place so much importance on the final outcome that if it doesn't arise for what ever reason if you haven't enjoyed the process in getting there then you are likely to be let down.

Today was duals in Oberjoch and I whilst I finished 4th after moving up from 6th in qualifications the outcome was not as good as I had expected after the last run. Being a judged sport one has to take decisions that are subjective and therefore of course often up for debate. There are also lessons to be learned from not achieving ones expectations. It is these times that I have found over the years have been the most informative to why how to succeed, in knowing why we fail. It's how we apply these lessons in the future that makes the less successful times worthwhile.

Anyway, today I was able to apply some unsuccessful dual lessons to use and it worked out so I feel today was a success. I also skied well and consistently and under tough conditions of being so utterly shattered so whilst I'm pleased with how I skied, I am very glad it's over!!

Getting some mogul action before the top air

Peacing out before one of the dual competitions

I'll try and get some video up soon!! Technical difficulties preventing me here!!!

You gotta to be in it to win it!

'winning taste good'

KT & Marina from Germany after presentation ceremony

I am devastatingly tired, about to have a personal meltdown as I have not had a recovery day in two weeks and heading out to compete is taking every inch of strength I have.

I awoke this morning at 6.55 to Britty's alarm and I'll paraphrase here but the muscles in my body were telling me 'don't you even think about getting out of bed!!'. Not the best start..

During warm up this morning I was even considering not competing as I wouldn't normally train in the condition that I was in let alone competing but the stubborness in me came through. During qualifications I held on like my life depended on it and finished 6th. The weather had rolled in with fog, it was dumping snow and already the competition was running extremely late so finals looked unlikely and I was happy. Fortunately they decided finals would be held. I decided if I was to compete finals I had to conserve energy taking a page out of Dale's book I did not train before final merely looking at the course would have to do as my preparation!

I know this probably sounds a little melodramatic but to head out to compete took so much inner strength I'm proud I even made it out of the cafe at the bottom of the hill! During finals my top section was not as good as qualifications but bottom air which was a back lay was huge and I knocked some time off my first run so I was more than happy. As I watched the top qualifiers come down after me I held onto the highest score till the last two finalists where I ended up 3rd. A huge effort considering that I almost didn't even compete!!

Now to find some energy for one last event!! But as they say, you have to be in to win it!!

Getting all psyched up for one more run . .

Medal ceremony

On the road

We've been on the road in Europe for ten days without one day off. We have had either official competition training days, competition or travelling across country in the vans (13 of us in two vans). Yesterday my legs honestly felt like they were made out of lead!! The 6+ hours on the road from France through Switzerland, Austria and into Germany was the standard road trip.. Grey skies, snow, rain, cramped conditions, toilet jokes from the boys, bad radio reception, one Macdonald stop, GPS sending us astray, mad drifting on the icy roads by our professional driver Pete and arriving into the village of our next hotel just by dusk. Fairly standard really. With two more competitions to go everyone on the team is looking forward to home and me just to having some days off and booking a massage! Putting those thoughts aside for a couple more days we are about to head up to the course in Oberjoch for the official training day.

Fingers crossed we don't have to put on chains on the vans with the new snow overnight!!

Training

Training as I see it has three ways of progressing.

You do the same the thing over and over with no improvements. This comes around for various reasons including fatigue, distraction, apathy and frustration.

Secondly you can make small changes that are barely recognisable, though over time show up as improvements and progress.

Thirdly there’s the step change. This is when you make actively make a change to ones skiing in a small space of time and thus easily recognisable. This is the most exciting as it’s like option two on fast forward so easily seen and felt. This can be the result of trivial things like a coach saying the same thing (for the hundreth time) but for some reason it translates into a change in technique or just saying it in a different way or it’s just the way sometimes skill acquisition occurs. Anyway over the last two weeks I had a couple of these and I feel great. Small technical changes in skiing can have large results and now I’m seeing them – Very exciting and I’m very grateful to my coaches at Steamboat, who for five years have put up with me and helped make this journey.

Fly Fishing with Colin Tizzle

One of the many benefits of being based out of Steamboat for training is what one can do in one's leisure time. Today I had the pleasure of being invited to go fly fishing with one of Steamboat's best local guides with Bucking Rainbow Outfitters. This was an absolute treat! Whilst I have lived with another mogul skier two years ago who was a keen fisher and enlightened me to some extent I still had no idea what to expect. It was a beautifully sunny day, even though it was only -17F at midday we set off to get my fishing licence and some supplies for a day on the Yampa river. With Luna in tow (Colin's black lab) a group of five us sled to the river at Blacktail behind Stagecoach.
A quick technical lesson under my belt and I was away. A little whiles later I snagged my first rainbow trout!! Very exciting! Colin grabbed a net and helped bring it in for a photo.


Unfortunately as I endeavoured to pick up this slippery little sucker the rainbow trout escaped back to the Yampa leaving me in state of slight disappointment for not managing to get a photo but in laughter none the less.

Where'd he go?? ha ha

As the sun set behind the canyon, a gorgeous day on the river concluded and with belly full of elk snags and a new passion to pursue it was good day! Thanks Colin T!

Fly fishing extraordinaire and Luna (and yes she's in dog camo..)

A day in the life of a mogul skier...

Most days are pretty standard when I'm training and full of routine. Breakfast, vitamins, coffee and a quick stretch session are first on the list. On the hill with the team by 9 where we prepare the mogul course for some hot mogul action by slipping down the course and inspecting how the conditions have changed and chopping the landings of the jumps. Then business begins.. This was the first run on the mogul course in Steamboat for the season mid December.. yee haa!!

Once we are done a trip to the gym with cardio or weights and more stretching is on the books and of course a critical part to recovery - a long relaxing hot tub!! Finally the last crucial element to training is injury maintenance.. Knees being an essential requirement for mogul skiing means routine icing, stretching and physio are required to keep them agreeable to skiing bumps!!

Before you know it you're totally exhausted and the day is over and it's time to sleep otherwise too soon my alarm will beep!!

NYE and a mountain top wedding

I was lucky enough to attend the most amazing wedding ever on NYE of 2009. The ceremony was on the top of mountain at Steamboat and just perfect! Fresh new snow covered the mountain, the sun shone down on the couple as they spoke their vows and some curious skiers stopped to watch this special moment. Very fitting for a couple of wonderful people who also love their skiing! A beautiful reception in downtown Steamboat followed with everyone dressed to their best and a NYE countdown with bubbles to toast to top it off! This was definitely one of the best NYE yet! Happy New Year to you all!!

2010 - The Year of Zen

Not only is a new year is upon us but it's a new decade and I feel there is a lot to think about. Whether it's about what we want to do differently going forwards, celebrating what was done well in the past or just planning exciting things for the future. A few weeks ago I realised it was up to me how I reacted to the events in my life would dictate how I felt about them. I also decided if wanted to be happy I had to let be the things that are out of my control. Basically I have to make changes where I have control over the outcome and accept the outcomes where my influence won't change anything. Are there any issues in your life that you could solve to make your life easier? Perhaps some of those is just to forgive and forget? I have realised that this takes practice but why not start now and make life easier without those burdens. So with this in mind I have officially declared this year to be my Year of Zen!!

Happy New Year and best wishes for 2010!!

xx KT